Tubes can provide more power and are taken as better for high impedance cans, but it depends on the amp.

 

Tubes have a warmer sound than solid state. Warm is, as far as I know, detailed but smooth and not piercing highs, and a well defined, detailed low end. I don't know how warm applies to the mids. I prefer a warm sound.

 

So, tubes have a warmer sound signature than solid state generally (there are SS amps that can get as warm too), and they generally provide more power.

 

 

 

Er, no.

Power depends on the circuit. You can design both tubes and chips for a little power or loads of power. There's nothing inherent to tubes that gives more power.

Neither are tubes warmer. Again, it depends on the circuit. You can design both tubes and solid state to sound neutral or warm.

"Warmth" is usually a little bloom and smear in the bass, boosted mids and rolled-off highs.

There aren't many good tube amps under $1,000. If you can stretch to $1,200, the DNA Sonett is the least expensive good pure tube amp that I like. It runs the excellent 6H30 and has output transformers. Maybe you can find a used one for less.

If you want to build one, consider the Bottlehead kits. The S.E.X., Crack and Smack are all good. Bottlehead has excellent documentation and a forum to help you through a build.

Generally, I dislike cheap tube amps. They're usually compromised in the power supply and built on cheap PCBs, which I do not like for hot tubes. They're also difficult to repair.

If you want solid state, the amps I like are the Dynalo/Gilmore Lite, M^3, CK2III, and Beta22. All affordable, but you can only get the Beta22 under $1,000 if you DIY it. Glass Jar Audio has nice kits for it.

Ok that's just what I had read. I just thought because of the way tubes were designed they were warmer. My bad!

No big deal, and that's a wonderful thing about tubes. Even the same tube will sound different depending on the circuit it's in and how it is biased. You can design for a particular sound if you want. The same can be done with solid state, but they don't have quite the range of sound you can get from tubes.

A lot of the "warm" stereotype comes from the common tube power amps that run push-pull on output transformers. That's usually warm - my power amp is like that and it's a fun listen. The Zana Deux is crisp and neutral, sounding a lot like solid state. But there are literally thousands of circuit variations, tubes and much else to change the sound.

OK I am glad that I learned something. I only got a tube amp because I liked a warm sound signature. So, I have read about how tubes distort sound, so would solid state be a better option for a clean, clear sound? Or, if tubes are just as good with clarity/cleanliness, is the Woo Audio WA6SE a good amp (650s)?

True. And if you want even more "warmth" try either a SET or a tube amp wired in triode mode. Beautiful mids...
 

 

Distortion in a tube amp is not a bad thing and is what generally gives it that "warm" sound. Like Uncle Erik said it's that "bloom" and "smear" that gives the tube amp it's warm sound. Which is why tubes are so popular with guitarists. Certain tubes when driven hard into that "distortion" is what gives them their signature sound(talking guitar amps).

 

Edited by RingingEars - 8/15/11 at 11:01pm

Check out Project86's review of the Violectric V200. It's an ss amp that sounds like a tube amp, that looks to pair very well with your listed headphones. Many reports about the LCD2/V200 combo being fantastic!

 

-Daniel

Check this one out, heard they made some nice headphone amps.

 

http://www.decware.com/newsite/tubes.html

 

I had tried laker people's v181/200, both are very good amps, better than 160 imo.